SEVERAL major schemes are being heralded in the lead up to Business Festival 2004, the showcase event for the Chamber of Commerce and Business Link Herefordshire and Worcestershire at the Three Counties Showground on March 3.

The Regional E-Business Development Initiative (REDI) is aiming to create a vision of the West Midlands as a modern, globally competitive region, adapted to technology and taking full advantage of the business and trading opportunities. Since 2001, a wide range of public sector partners have been involved in the development of REDI, including Advantage West Midlands, the six sub-regional Business Links, UK Online for Business and the Small Business Service. The scheme aims to deliver support to businesses and ICT suppliers.

The Going for Growth programme open to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) is targeted at the economic growth of businesses in the Rural Regeneration Zone. The RRZ includes Herefordshire (except for Hereford city), Shropshire (except Telford and Shrewsbury) and a few parts of Worcestershire (parts of Malvern Hills district and Bewdley ward). The scheme is being run as a single sub-regional programme across the RRZ; lead by Business Link Herefordshire and Worcestershire and in partnership with Business Link for Shropshire.

Enterprise Experience supports individuals starting a business in the rural areas of Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire and includes:

l Foundation Business Start-Up programme - targeting anyone considering starting a business.

l Youth and Graduate programme for 16-24 year olds, including a graduate placement programme.

l Social and Community Enterprise programme to encourage the development of social and community enterprises.

l Entrepreneurship Programme - to develop the entrepreneurial qualities of individuals with ideas of high growth potential.